Illuminated stove



"United States Patent lLLUlVIlNATED STOVE Gene H. Cripe, North Hollywood, and Richard J. Petersen, Downey, Califi, assignors to Utility Appliance Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Caliorma Application June 30, 1952, Serial No. 296,472 7 Claims. (Cl. 240-2) The present invention relates in general to backrails for cooking stoves and, more particularly, to a backrail which carries a light source for illuminating the cooking surface of a stove and which carries a shelf movable between a lowered, retracted position and a raised, extended position, a primary object of the invention being to provide a construction wherein the cooking surface is illuminated by the light source regardless of whether the shelf is in its retracted position, or in its extended position.

In prior cooking stoves having backrails provided with light sources and movable shelves, the light sources are frequently mounted on top of the backrails so that, when the shelves are in their extended positions, they intercept the light from the light sources and prevent the light from reaching the cooking surfaces of the stoves. In other prior stoves, the light sources are mounted in the backrail below the shelves so that the latter intercept the light when retracted. The present invention avoids such interception of the light, which is an important feature.

More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide a backrail which includes, at its top, a forwardly projecting overhang, the overhang carrying a light source which directs light forwardly and downwardly toward the cooking surface along a predetermined path, and the overhang carrying a shelf which is movable between a retracted position wherein it is disposed rearwardly and below the light path and an extended position wherein it is disposed forwardly and above the light path. Thus, the light source directs light toward the cooking surface along a path which lies between the extended and retracted positions of the shelf so that the light is not intercepted by the shelf when in either its extended position, or its retracted position.

Another object is to provide a backrail which is provided, at its bottom, with a recess in which the shelf is disposed when in its retracted position, the light source being carried by the backrail above the recess so that it directs light toward the cooking surface along a path disposed forwardly of and above the retracted position of the shelf.

Another object is to provide a backrail construction wherein the shelf is pivotable between its extended and retracted positions through a predetermined arc, the light source being located in close proximity to the pivot axis of the shelf and being directed toward a point on the arc of movement of the shelf which is intermediate the ends of the are so that the light is not intercepted by the shelf when it is in either its extended position, or its retracted position.

Another object is to provide the backrail with latch means for latching the shelf in its extended position, the latch means being engageable with a portion of the shelf.

The foregoing objects and advantages of the present invention, together with various other objects and advantages thereof which will become apparent, may be attained with the exemplary embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and is clear (if the light path when in either of these positions, the shelf being retracted into the recess 14 whenin' which is described in detail hereinafter. the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, on a reduced scale, of a cooking stove backrail construction which embodies the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the backrail construction which is taken along the arrowed line 22 of Fig. 1, a shelf incorporated in the backrail construction being shown in its extended position; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the shelf in its retracted position.

Referring to the drawing, illustrated therein is a cook stove 19 having a horizontal cooking surface 11 which includes the usual burners or heating elements, and which may include a griddle, work space, or the like. Mounted on the stove 10 along the rear edge of the cooking surface 11 is a backrail 12 having the form of a housing the interior of which is open and contains various parts to be described. The backrail 12 is preferably formed of sheet metal as is conventional, although other materials may be used.

The backrail 12 is provided, adjacent its top, with a forwardly projecting overhang 13 which, in turn, provides a recess 14 therebelow and adjacent the bottom Referring to i of the backrail, the overhang 13 and recess 14 extending substantially the entire Width of the stove. The overhang 13 is provided with a rearwardly and downwardly sloping lower wall 17 which also forms the top wall of the recess 14. Housed within the overhang 13 of the backrail 12 is a light source which is indicated generally by the numeral 18, the light source being shown as including two electric lamps 19 disposed in a reflector 20 which directs light from the lamps 19 downwardly and forwardly onto the cooking surface 11 through an elongated window 21 in the lower wall 17. The path taken by the light in its forward and downward travel toward the cooking surface 11 is indicated by the broken lines 22, it being noted that the light path diverges so that substantially the entire cooking surface 11 is illuminated by the light source 18. The window 21 may merely be an opening in the lower wall 17 of the overhang 13, or it may comprise a transparent material, such as glass, or a suitable plastic.

Pivotally mounted on the overhang 13 of the backrail 12 is a shelf 25 which is movable between a retracted position, shown in Fig. 3, and an extended position shown in Fig. 2. The shelf 25 includes a work surface 26 on which articles may be placed when the shelf is extended, the work surface preferably being formed of sheet metal, althoughother materials may be used also. The work surface 26 is connected at its ends to arms 27 which support itand which are connected to the backrail 12 by pivot pins 28, the pivot pins 28 being aligned horizontally to provide a horizontal pivot axis for the shelf 25. The arms 27 are provided with lugs 29 thereon which are engageable with lugs 30 on latch elements 31 of a latch means 32 to hold the shelf 25 in its extended position, the latch means 32 being completely disclosed and claimed in our copending application Serial No. 296,473, filed June 30, 1952, now Patent No. 2,692,749, reference to which is hereby made. Sufiice it to say here that the latch elements 31 are pivotable into and out of positions wherein the lugs 30 thereon engage the lugs 29 on the arms 27, whereby the shelf 25 may be unlatched when it is desired to move it into its retracted position.

It will be noted that the pivot axis provided by the pivot pins 28 is in close proximity to the light source 18 so that, as the shelf 25 is pivoted between its extended and retracted positions, it crosses the path of the light from the light source 18 to the cooking surface 11 and a 'ing surface receives 7 25 is in its extendedposition, it isdisposed forwardly of the overhang 13 and thus is disposed forwardly and above the path of the light from the light source 18 to the cooking surface 11-. Similarly, whentheshelf 25 is in its retracted position, it is disposed in the=recessf14 and l is located =b'elowand behind the path of light from the light source 18"to the cookingsurfaee 1 1*. Consequently, the shelf 25 does not intercept any of thelight directed toward the cooking-surface ll-whenif is in either its extended position, or its retractedposition, so that the cooking surface is adequately illuminated at all times, which is an important'feature of'the invention.

Another wayof expressing the structural relation between the shelf 25 and the lightsource-18 i's that the light-source is located approximately at'the pivot axis of the shelf and betweenthe retracted andextended positions of theshelfso'thatthe light'flows freely from the source '18 tothecooking surface '11 whenever the shelf isretracted, or-extended. The distance between the' extended and retracted positions of the shelf is indicated by the arc 35 in Figs. 2 and 3 of thedrawings, this are representing both the angular-movementof' the shelf and the-clearance betweentheextended and'retracted positions thereof. As will be noted, the path 'of the light flowing from the light source 18 toi thecooking surface' llintercepts the are 35 ata point', or, more accura-tely, in-a zone, intermediate-the ends of the are-so that the'light path is unobstructed-by the shelf when in either its extended positionor its retracted'position.

Thus, the present invention provides a back-railcor'nstruction which provides'the advantages'of both "alight source for illuminating the cooking surface-and a re-' tractable shelf for the housewifes convenience, without rendering the light source ineffectivefor either position of the shelf. embodiment of our invention herein for purposes of illustration, it willbe understood'that various changes,modifications and substitutions may be incorporatedin the embodiment disclosed without departing-from the spirit of the invention as defined in theclaims allowedto us and appearing hereinafter. a

We claim as our invention: 7 'f 1 1. In combination: a stove body having a'eooking stir face'and'having a backrail along the rear edgeo'f said cooking surface which includes, at its top, a-forwardIy-projecting overhang; hang'and aimed downwardly and forwardly toward said cooking surface so'as to direct light downwardly-and for wardlytoward'said cooking surface along a light path; a shelf; and means for" mounting said shelf 'on said backrail'for movement relative thereto downwardly-andrearwardly from an extended positionwhereinit'i'slocated forwardly of and above said light path to a retracted-position wherein it 'locatedrearwardly of'-and belowsai'd' light path, whereby said cooking surface receives-"lightfrom said light source'for either of: said positions-of said shelf. a V r r 2. In combination; a stove body having -a' cooking surface and having a backrail along the rear edge of said cooking surface which includes, at its top, a forwardly projecting overhang; a light source housed insaid-oven hang and aimed downwardly and forwardlytowardsaid cooking surface so as to direct light'downwardly and forrwardly'toward said cooking 'surf acealong a light path;

and a shelf pivotally mounted on said overhang'for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis which is located,

adjacentsaid light'source, saidrshelf being pivotable relative to said overhang between an-extendedposition wherein it'is' locatedabove and' forwardly-of said'light While we have disclosed an exemplary a light source carried'by-saidovermeans carried-by-said backrail and engageable withsaid shelf for latching said shelf in said extended position.

4. In combination: a stove body having a cooking surface and having along the rear edge of said cooking surface a backrail which is provided, at its bottom, with a forwardly facing recess; a light source carried by said backrail above said recess and aimed downwardly and forwardly toward said cookingsurfa'ce so as to direct lightdownwardly and forwardly toward said cooking surface along a light path; and a-shelf mounted-on said backrail andmovable relative thereto, downwardly and rearwardly from an extended position wherein it is located forwardly of andabove said light path to a retracted position' wherein it is disposed in said" recess and is located rearwardly ofand-belowsaidilight path, whereby said cooking surface receives light from said light source foreither of said positions of said shelf.

7 5. In combination: a stove body having a cooking surface and having alongtherear edge of said cooking surfacea backrail which is provided, at its bottom, with a forwardly facing recessyalight'source housed in said backrail above said recess and aimed downwardlyand' forwardly'toward said cooking surfaceso as to'direct light, downwardly and forwardly toward said cooking surface'alongalight-path; and a shelf pivotaliy mounted on said backrail and pivotable relative-thereto between 7 an extended positionwherein it is located'aboye and forwardlyof said light-patlr and a retractedpositionwherein itis-located'below 'and'rearwardly'of' said light path and:

within said recess, whereby said cooking surface receives light from said lightsource when said shelf is in'either said retracted position or said extended position.

6. The combination defined inclaim 5 including latch means-carried-by said backrail andengageable with said shelf for latching said shelf in'gsaid extended position; 7. In astove, the combination of: a stove body hav-' ing-a' horizontal cooking surface and having arr-upright backrail along the rear edge of said cooking 'surfaceylight sourcemeans carried by said backrail adjacent the top thereof for'directingforwardly and downwardly toward said cooking surface a wide light beam which intersects substantially the entire area of said cooking surface to illuminate same; a shelf; and means pivotally mounting saidshelf on said backrail for movement abouta hori zontal 'pivot axis-incloselproximity to said light-source means,said-shelf being spaced-from said pivot axisso that 1 his movable across saidlightbeam, along apath forpath and forwardly of said overhang and a retractedgposh 'wardly of and below said light source means, betweena-lowered, retracted, generally vertical position wherein said shel'f'is-located rearwardly ofand below said 'light' beam, and a raised, extended, generally horizontalposh tion wherein it is located forwardly of and abovesaid light beam, whereby-substantially'said entire area-of said cooking surface receives illumination from said light source'meansirrespective of whether said shelf'is in' said extended position, or-in said retracted positionr References Cited in the file of this patent a UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,368,827 Neilson Feb. '15, 1921 2,122,489 Pickup r r July 5, 1938, 7 2,157,264 Kirby. May 9, ,1939- 2,289,523 Smallen July 14,1942 2,302,043 Matway Nov; 17,1942 2,313,506 Berg Mar. 9, 1943 2,556,555 Reedy- V June 12,1951 2,566,765 7 Graham Sep,t. 4,195.1 2,609,476 Ackermann Sept.. 2,1952 2,777,050 OiKeefe Jan. 8, 1957 3 r V FOREIGN PATENTS V a 523,414 GreatjBritain July; 15, I940 

